Convectors

ABSTRACT

A heat exchange assembly and method of producing the same comprising a series of dished fin members disposed in spaced relationship between to opposite, longitudinally extending side members, each of the fin members being recessed for seating a pipe in which a heat exchange fluid is circulated and having a slot terminating in the recess to provide an entry passage for the pipe, the marginal edge portions of the slot being adapted to be twisted, bent or otherwise distorted by the forced insertion of the assembly over the pipe; the convex side of the dished fin members each having a collar projecting laterally about the recesses in a diverging direction from the convex side which collars clamp the fins about the pipe when the dished fin members are flexed or buckled towards their opposite convex position.

United States Patent [191 Gebelius Dec. 25, 1973 CONVECTORS [76] Inventor: Sven Runo Vilhelrn Gebelius,

Fridhemsgatan 27, Stockholm, Sweden [22] Filed: Feb. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 229,655

Primary Examiner-Charles Sukalo Attorney-Eric Y. Munson et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A heat exchange assembly and method of producing the same comprising a series of dished fin members disposed in spaced relationship between to opposite, longitudinally extending side members, each of the fin members being recessed for seating a pipe in which a heat exchange fluid is circulated and having a slot terminating in the recess to provide an entry passage for the pipe, the marginal edge portions of the slot being adapted to be twisted, bent or otherwise distorted by the forced insertion of the assembly over the pipe; the convex side of the dished fin members each having a collar projecting laterally about the recesses in a diverging direction from the convex side which collars clamp the fins about the pipe when the dished fin members are flexed or buckled towards their opposite convex position.

3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEUn'Ec 25 1973 SHEET 10F 2 CONVECTORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a heat exchange assembly and more particularly to convectors intended to be fitted in a piping system through which a heating or cooling medium is circulated and comprising a finned portion of the pipe length.

Finned pipes for convectors normally have the fins fixed to them by means of soldering or other similar methods in order to obtain a good thermal contact between the pipes and fins.

With a finned pipe it is necessary to provide each end of the pipe with a connecting flange or the like to enable it to be connected to the pipe length. Such connection involves a great deal of manual work with consequent high labour costs.

Also it is often advantageous to be able first to install a complete pipe system without regard to the desired positions of convectors along the length of pipe and to install the convectors afterwards.

The present invention provides an assembly of fins and opposite, sheet metal side members for a convector, the fins extending transversely of, and between, the side members in side-by-side relation, wherein the fins are provided with aligning openings for a pipe defined by collars, one on each fin, said openings being connected with corresponding transverse edges of the fins by slots in the fins enabling a pipe to be introduced transversely into said aligning openings and the fins are correspondingly domed or dished and adapted to be flexed or buckled as a unit in the same direction to reverse their dished configuration whereby said collars will be brought into resilient gripping relation with a pipe positioned in said aligning openings.

The present invention includes a convector comprising a pipe and an assembly as herein defined assembled about the pipe with said collars resiliently gripping the same.

The present invention further includes a method of assembling a convector as herein defined and substantially as hereinafter described.

A specific embodiment of the present invention is described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assemblage of fins and opposite sheet metal side parts according to the present invention positioned about a pipe;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view drawn to a larger scale of one of the fins;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section along line A-A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing how the fins are fixed to the side parts in the assemblage of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section drawn to a larger scale showing a fin of FIG. 1 in relation to the pipe;

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding with F IG. 5 but showing the fin collar resiliently gripping the pipe;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a step in the assembly of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view drawn to a larger scale showing a step in the assembly of a convector according to the present invention, and

FIG. 9 is a view from above showing the same step as FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT Referring to the accompanying drawings, domed shaped or dished sheet metal fins made of thin, springy sheet metal are indicated at 10. Each fin 10 has a centrally located circular opening or recess defined by a collar 12 formed from the same sheet material and intended to make contact with a pipe 13 forming part of a pipe length for a heating or cooling system. The fins 10 are of rectangular or square outline in elevation and have flanges 14,14 at two opposite edges by means of which the fins are attached to two elongated side members 15 and 15' of sheet metal. The manner in which the fins are attached to the side parts is more fully explained in my copending patent application Ser. No. 209,188 filed Dec. 17, 1971.

The recess 11 in each fin has an opening which is connected with one of the other two opposite edges of the fin by means of a slot 16 to provide an entry passage for the pipes, thus permitting the fins 10 to be pressed down over the pipe 13 to position the pipe in the openings or recesses 11. This operation causes temporary yielding distortion of the fins which thereafter spring back to their form as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 and it will be understood that because of their domed or dished shape, the fins twist and bend so as to allow the slots 16 to open sufficiently to receive the pipe. Each collar 12 is located on the convex side of its fin and the bore of the collar diverges in the direction away from the fin, the bore having a diameter adjacent the fin corresponding to or only slightly exceeding the outside diameter of the pipe 13. Thus, the collars 12 do not grip the pipe when the fins are pressed down over the pipe 13, as shown in FIG. 5. The convex side of each fin 10 has a number of spacing members 17,17 having a height corresponding to the width of the collar 12. The members 17,17 are embossed in the sheet metal of the fins and act always to space adjacent fins, adjacent fins contacting one another through the members 17,17 and the collars 12. All the fins in the assembly of fins 10 and side members 15,15 are simultaneously flexed or buckled towards their opposite or convex domed configuration after having been inserted over the pipe 13 by means of a traction device acting centrally on the fins. This causes the bores of the collars 12 to reverse their taper so that the collars with resiliently gripthe pipe along a portion adjacent their ends remote from the fins as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. Thus good thermal contact between the fins and the pipe is assured. Also the assembly of fins and side members is held tight on the pipe. The assembly of fins and side members are conveniently positioned on a preinstalled pipe pattern to form a convector at a required location. However, it may be assembled about a pipe length to form a convector which is thereafter to be installed in a piping system.

When installing the assembly of fins and side members on a preinstalled pipe length it is in certain cases advantageous to apply counter pressure against the pipe while pressing the assembly onto it. A steel bar or similar support member 18 can be inserted through the slots 16 in contact with the pipe for this purpose and the member 18 may be connected to exert a force applied to the assembly through another member in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7. When using this method, it is also an advantage if the traction device is arranged at one end of the assembly, as shown in FIGS.

8 and9. The traction member may take the form of a passage for said pipe; U-shaped steel plate 19 inserted over the pipe-between d. said recesses and said slots in the successive fin inturned end portions Of the side parts 15,15, said end members being aligned with one another; Portions Presenting Screw threaded bosses through e. a collar projecting laterally about said recess and which wing bolls 20 are screwed to apply Pressure to extending in a diverging direction from the convex the plate 19 and force it away from said end portions. side of each of said dished members and The plate 19 preferably has a convex surface facing the f. Said collar being ffe tive to grip said pipe upon fins in order to more effectively engage the adjacent fin flexing Said fin members away from its dished towards its centre.

. shaped. I claim:

1. A heat exchange assembly comprising: 2. A heat exchange assembly according to claim 1 a. a plurality of dished flexible fin members disposed in Spaced relationship between two opposite feetive to cause said dished fin member to be flexed as tudinally extending side members; a unitb. an open recess in each of tin members to fit about A heat exchange assembly according to Claim 2, a pipe for circulating a heat exchange medium;. having a pp engaging an outermost of Said fin c. a narrowed slot in said fin members loc t d b members and tension means active upon said support tween said side members and terminating in said to maintain said'fin member under flexed tension. recess to provide a yieldingly distortionable entry having spacer members between said fin members ef- I 3,790,797 Dee. 25; 1973 Patent No Dated -Inventor(s) Sven u il elm Gebelius It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patentare hereby corrected as shown below:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data March 2, 1971 I Sweden. .2620 1971" Signed and sealed this 24th day of September 1974. I

(SEAL) Attest: i McCOY M. GIBSON JR. A c. MARSHALL 'DANN Attesting Officer I v Commissionefof Patents I USCOMM-DC '60376-P69 a u. s. eovzmmzmmanna ornc: was 0-366-335,

FORM P0 1050 (10-69) 3,780,797 Dec}. 25,1973

Patent No. Dated lnventofls) Sven Runo Vilhelm Gebelius It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data March 2, 1971. Sweden. .2 6 20/1971' Signed and sealed this 24th day of Septemoer- 1974.

(SEAL) Attest: v

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DA N I Attesting Officer Comissioner' "o'f Patents FORM PC4050 (10-69) USCOMWDC 6037645" u.s eovznnuzm' momma OFFICE 190 o-ssc-au. 

1. A heat exchange assembly comprising: a. a plurality of dished flexible fin members disposed in spaced relationship between two opposite longitudinally extending side members; b. an open recess in each of fin members to fit about a pipe for circulating a heat exchange medium; c. a narrowed slot in said fin members located between said side members and terminating in said recess to provide a yieldingly distortionable entry passage for said pipe; d. said recesses and said slots in the successive fin members being aligned with one another; e. a collar projecting laterally about said recess and extending in a diverging direction from the convex side of each of said dished fin members and f. said collar being effective to grip said pipe upon flexing said fin members away from its dished shaped.
 2. A heat exchange assembly according to claim 1 having spacer members between said fin members effective to cause said dished fin member to be flexed as a unit.
 3. A heat exchange assembly, according to claim 2, having a support engaging an outermost of said fin members and tension means active upon said support to maintain said fin member under flexed tension. 